The budding Gu Masters were supposed to spend a year at the village academy before they could graduate and go out into the world, ultimately taking missions for the clan.
"Humans are clever in over ten thousand ways, and gu are fragments of the great Dao. Gu Masters raise, nurture, and refine gu. All of you have awakened your apertures during the awakening ceremony, and now are Rank 1 Gu Masters," the academy elder said.
Someone raised their hand. An eager youngster, who was clearly bursting at the seams to ask a question. "Elder, I've heard that Gu Masters come in ranks up till 9, is that true?"
"Yes," the academy elder said. "Rank 1 to Rank 5 are mortal Gu Masters, while those Rank 6 and above are immortals. Unfortunately, even in the thousand year history of our clan, we haven't had a single Rank 6 or higher Gu Master, and only had two who were Rank 5. Those were the Gu Yue ancestor, and the fourth generation clan head." He had no idea that there was a former Rank 6 Gu Master sitting before him, in Fang Yuan who had reached that level before he had used the Spring Autumn Cicada.
Everyone was paying attention to him eagerly- that is to say, everyone except for Fang Yuan, who was currently drooling against a window.
The elder noticed this, and so did everyone else.
"Look, still sleeping."
"Honestly, you'd think he'd try to work harder if he's only B-grade."
"Can you really make up the difference between B-grade and A-grade with hard work?"
"Don't know, but you can at least try."
The academy elder frowned. Fang Yuan's potential was not as strong as that of Fang Zheng's, but that didn't mean that he was hopeless. He could easily become an elder, a pillar of the clan, and depending on how good his B-grade aptitude was, he might even reach Rank 4. That was what the academy elder felt, though if he was going to doze off he would accomplish nothing.
"He has been acting weird lately, hasn't he though?"
"I saw him hand over a entire primeval stone to a beggar yesterday?"
"No way- you're joking. An entire primeval stone?"
"I couldn't believe it either."
"Is he really that loaded? Or does he just not care about money?"
"It's not just that, he's also been buying lots of wine lately."
"Man, his aunt and uncle are going full throttle with supporting him, aren't they."
"Nah, last I heard he's broke!"
The academy elder had actually heard of the incident with the beggar- it raised a few eyebrows, and he had intended to have a word with Fang Yuan later.
As it was, he had no desire to interrupt his flow for Fang Yuan.
"Is it true that the fourth generation clan head was killed by the Flower Wine Demon?" one of the students asked, putting the conversation back on track.
"Of course," the academy elder said. There was hardly a soul who didn't know the story in the village, though with time, the story had been warped somewhat and turned into an urban legend, so he figured he would give them the way things went down so there was no confusion in the future. "The Flower Wine Monk was a demonic path cultivator who had come to the village several hundred years ago. He was a Rank Five cultivator, and ended up fighting with the fourth generation clan head. The clan head won, though in a moment of mercy let his guard down as he was about to let the Flower Wine Monk escape with his life- though the Flower Wine Monk used this opportunity to land a lethal blow upon the fourth generation clan head. Though the clan head got his revenge, he too passed away from his wounds tragically."
Because of this, the fourth generation clan head wasn't able to spread his oats and was one reason as to why it looked like the clan's blood was thinning over the years, as well as potential candidates to be Gu Masters.
Several curses rang out from the class against the Flower Wine Monk.
Fang Yuan had heard this story countless times of course, but he was thinking of something else.
In his previous life, he had heard a story which was told over and over again almost as much as this tale of the Flower Wine Monk.
A Rank 2 Gu Master, dejected after a breakup, had gone drinking in the area around the village. He had managed to attract a Liquor Worm, which he followed and was able to capture- a Liquor Worm which had been left behind by the Flower Wine Monk!
Gu had no natural lifespans, and could persist so long as they were fed.
The Liquor Worm was quite useful for cultivation, though only at the Rank 1 level.
He was Rank 2, but he turned over the Liquor Worm to the village, was handsomely rewarded, and was able to advance to Rank 3, become an elder, and patch things up with his lover.
It was this inheritance that Fang Yuan was after right now, and also what the system wanted to egg him on to get. However, regardless, Fang Yuan was determined to find it- which is why he had spent a large amount of money on wine and gone drinking around the outskirts of the village at night, hoping to attract it, though he had no luck up till now.
Gu were like Pokemon for cultivating, and just like with Pokemon, the choice of your starter was an important one.
A Gu Master's vital gu was a gu that was attached to their own lifespan, and was important when it came to their future development.
The Liquor Worm, though not ideal as a vital gu candidate, was still much better than his other options.
Though, a new 'secret quest' had also popped up.
It seemed to imply that there was a 'best option' for Fang Yuan when it came to his vital gu, though he couldn't see how it would be any different from the Liquor Worm. Unless the system wanted to reward him doubly for the same thing?
"Alright," the academy elder said. "We're going to take you all to get your first gu worm today, and later on I'll explain how to cultivate and advance when it comes to ranks."